As mobile operators are diversifying operation modes, the operators expose network information as capabilities to third parties to promote generation of new business modes. A service capability exposure function (SCEF) entity is added in the network capability exposure project of the 3GPP to screen network topologies and expose network information. A network architecture 1 for implementing the service capability exposure function entity in the project is shown in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, the network architecture 1 includes application servers 101 and 102, a service capability exposure function apparatus 103, and network elements 104 to 107. The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 includes application programming interfaces 103a to 103c. The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 may collaborate with the application server 101 and the application server 102 through the application programming interfaces 103a to 103c. The application server 101 and the application server 102 may implement applications (for example, self-operated services of operators) of third parties or in trusted domains of operators.
Moreover, the service capability exposure function apparatus 103 may interact with the network elements 104 to 107 to obtain information required for applications. Some typical network capability exposure functions defined in current standards are as follows:
A third-party application needs to obtain a quantity of users in a geographical region. Steps are as follows:
The application sends a request to the service capability exposure function apparatus 103. The request carries a message type instructing to obtain a quantity of users in a geographical region and also carries geographical region information.
The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 maps the geographical region to a routing area identifier (RAI)/serving area identifier (SAI)/cell identifier (CID) list based on the geographical region information and configuration information in the request, and further maps the RAI/SAT/CID list to a network element such as a mobility management entity (MME), serving GPRS support node (SGSN).
The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 queries an MME/SGSN node for an RAI/SAI/CID, to obtain quantities of users at these locations.
The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 returns the quantities of users to the application (to be specific, the application server 101 and/or the application server 102 implementing the application).
A third-party application initiates a QoS request for accessing an application to the service capability exposure function apparatus 103, so that when a user accesses the application, QoS of a service flow corresponding to the application is guaranteed. Steps are as follows:
The application initiates a QoS guarantee request to the service capability exposure function apparatus 103. The request message carries a flow feature (for example, an IP address of an application server) of the application and a QoS parameter required for the application.
The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 finds a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) based on a configuration, and sends the flow feature of the application and the required QoS to the PCRF.
The service capability exposure function apparatus 103 provides QoS guarantee for a flow of the application based on the flow feature of the application.
A concept of a network slice is proposed in the SMARTER project (future-oriented 5G networks) of 3GPP SA1. To be specific, different networks are established to satisfy requirements of different Internet of things applications. The different networks herein may be referred to as network slices. Based on requirements of different applications, each network slice includes at least one network element required for each application. In addition, in the current 3GPP DECOR (a dedicated core network, which is for an existing network) project, it is proposed that corresponding dedicated core networks can be established for different MVNO, enterprise or IoT applications, to satisfy different network requirements of the applications. Therefore, it can be learned that a dedicated core network is a form of a network slice.
For the combination of a dedicated core network (a network slice) and a network capability exposure characteristic, currently there is still no technical solution in which an SCEF can find network elements (that is, the network element 104, the network element 105, the network element 106, and the network element 107 in FIG. 1) in a dedicated core network (that is, a network slice corresponding to an application).